Temporal–spatial variability of grazing behaviors of yaks and the drivers of their intake on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

IntroductionGrassland-livestock balance is an important principle of sustainable development of grassland livestock production and grassland ecosystem health. Grassland degradation becomes more serious at global scales and especially at the area that is sensitive to climate change and human activities. Decreases in pasture biomass and shifts in plant community composition in degraded grasslands can largely affect grazing behaviors of livestock. Up to date, however, it is unclear that whether livestock behaviors change across spatial and temporal scales and what key factors are to shape observed behavioral patterns of livestock.MethodsHere, yak behaviors including grazing, rumination and walking on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) were monitored by a continuous visual observation, to investigate temporal and spatial variations of grazing behavior of yaks (Bos grunniens); based on the data from public database in the past 18 years, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine the main factors that affect grazing behaviors and intake of yaks.ResultsWe showed that grazing behaviors of yaks differed significantly within hours, among hours of each day and among days as well as across different observation sites. Intake rate of yaks was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, but walking speed showed an inverse trend compared with intake rate. Resting, altitude, the mean annual precipitation (MAP), the mean annual temperature (MAT), forage ash, yak age and season were the main predictors for yak intake, and forage and yak individual characteristics had direct effects on grazing behaviors and intake of yaks.DiscussionThe findings confirm that grazing behaviors of yaks can vary even at small temporal scales and regional scales, which is closely related to the shift in forage quality and biomass caused by environmental changes. The study suggests that multiple factors can be responsible for the variation in livestock behaviors and shifts in behavioral patterns may consequently lead to positive or negative feedback to grassland ecosystems through plant-animal interactions

Improved lung cancer classification by employing diverse molecular features of microRNAs

MiRNAs are edited or modified in multiple ways during their biogenesis pathways. It was reported that miRNA editing was deregulated in tumors, suggesting the potential value of miRNA editing in cancer classification. Here we extracted three types of miRNA features from 395 LUAD and control samples, including the abundances of original miRNAs, the abundances of edited miRNAs, and the editing levels of miRNA editing sites. Our results show that eight classification algorithms selected generally had better performances on combined features than on the abundances of miRNAs or editing features of miRNAs alone. One feature selection algorithm, i.e., the DFL algorithm, selected only three features, i.e., the frequencies of hsa-miR-135b-5p, hsa-miR-210-3p and hsa-mir-182_48u (an edited miRNA), from 316 training samples. Seven classification algorithms achieved 100% accuracies on these three features for 79 independent testing samples. These results indicate that the additional information of miRNA editing is useful in improving the classification of LUAD samples

A Versatile Approach for the Synthesis of Antimicrobial Polymer Brushes on Natural Rubber/Graphene Oxide Composite Films via Surface-Initiated Atom-Transfer Radical Polymerization

A simple strategy was adopted for the preparation of an antimicrobial natural rubber/graphene oxide (NR/GO) composite film modified through the use of zwitterionic polymer brushes. An NR/GO composite film with antibacterial properties was prepared using a water-based solution-casting method. The composited GO was dispersed uniformly in the NR matrix and compensated for mechanical loss in the process of modification. Based on the high bromination activity of α–H in the structure of cis-polyisoprene, the composite films were brominated on the surface through the use of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) under the irradiation of a 40 W tungsten lamp. Polymerization was carried out on the brominated films using sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) as a monomer via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The NR/GO composite films modified using polymer brushes (PSBMAs) exhibited 99.99% antimicrobial activity for resistance to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. A novel polymer modification strategy for NR composite materials was established effectively, and the enhanced antimicrobial properties expand the application prospects in the medical field

Effects of Baicalin on Diabetic Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy Mediated by the P2Y12 Receptor in Rat Stellate Ganglia

Background/Aims: Chronic diabetic hyperglycemia can damage various of organ systems and cause serious complications. Although diabetic cardiac autonomic neuropathy (DCAN) is the primary cause of death in diabetic patients, its pathogenesis remains to be fully elucidated. Baicalin is a flavonoid extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis root and has antibacterial, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti- metamorphotic, and antispasmodic effects. Our study explored the effects of baicalin on enhancing sympathoexcitatory response induced by DCAN via the P2Y12 receptor. Methods: A type 2 diabetes mellitus rat model was induced by a combination of diet and streptozotocin. Serum epinephrine was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured using the indirect tail-cuff method. Heart rate variability was analyzed using the frequency-domain of electrocardiogram recordings. The expression levels of P2Y12, interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and connexin 43 (Cx43) were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The interaction between baicalin and P2Y12 determined using by molecular docking. Results: Baicalin alleviated elevated blood pressure and heart rate, improved heart rate variability, and decreased the elevated expression levels of P2Y12, IL-1β, TNF-α, and Cx43 in the stellate ganglia of diabetic rats. Baicalin also reduced the elevated concentration of serum epinephrine and the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in diabetic rats. Conclusion: Baicalin decreases sympathetic activity by inhibiting the P2Y12 receptor in stellate ganglia satellite glial cells to maintain the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves and relieves DCAN in the rat

Naringin Protects Against High Glucose-Induced Human Endothelial Cell Injury Via Antioxidation and CX3CL1 Downregulation

Background/Aims: The induction of endothelial injury by hyperglycemia in diabetes has been widely accepted. Naringin is a bio-flavonoid. Some studies showed that naringin alleviates diabetic complications, but the exact mechanisms by which naringin improves diabetic anomalies are not yet fully understood. The aim of this research was to study the protective effect of naringin on high glucose-induced injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods: HUVECs were cultured with or without high glucose in the absence or presence of naringin for 5 days. The expression of CX3CL1 was determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) and western blot. The cellular bioenergetic analysis oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was measured with a Seahorse Bioscience XF analyzer. Results: The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the expression of CX3CL1 and the level of AKT phosphorylation were increased in HUVECs cultured with high glucose compared with controls. However, naringin rescued these increases in ROS production, CX3CL1 expression and AKT phosphorylation. Nitric oxide (NO) production and OCR were lower in the high glucose group, and naringin restored the changes induced by high glucose. Molecular docking results suggested that Naringin might interact with the CX3CL1 protein. Conclusion: Naringin protects HUVECs from high-glucose-induced damage through its antioxidant properties by downregulating CX3CL1 and by improving mitochondrial function